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On December 18, we members of the Catholic Church family honor, in a special way, the following friends of God -- "saints" and "blesseds" whose souls are now in heaven:

Sts. Adjutor, Victurus, Victor, Victorinus, Quartus, and 30 companions (Northwest African, early martyrs)
St. Augustine Nguyen Van Moi of Phu Trang (Vietnamese, laborer, Dominican tertiary, refused to trample crucifix, strangled at about age 33 in 1839 [beatified 1900, canonized 1988])
St. Auxentius of Mopsuestia (Cilician [from part of what is now Turkey], emperor's guard, bishop, c. 321)
St. Bodagisil (French, abbot, d. 588)
St. Desideratus of Fontenelle (French, Benedictine monk, c. 700)
St. Flannan of Killaloe (Irish, missionary monk, bishop, daily prayed the psalter [all 150 psalms], 7th century)
St. Gatian of Tours (French, bishop, c. 337)
St. Mawnan of Cornwall (British?)
St. Moysetes (African, martyred c. 250)
Bl. Nemesia Valle of Aosta [baptized Giulia (Julia)] (Italian, member of Sisters of Charity, teacher, novice mistress for 500 women, superior at age 40, died at age 69 in 1916 [beatified 2004])
St. Paul Nguyen Van My of Ke Non [Phaolo] (Vietnamese, layman, martyred by strangling at about age 40 in 1838 [beatified 1900, canonized 1988])
Sts. Peter Truong Van Duong of Ke So [Phero] and Peter Vu Van Truat of Ke Thiec [Phero] (Vietnamese, catechists, martyred by strangling at about ages 30 and 22 in 1838 [beatified 1900, canonized 1988])
Sts. Quintus, Simplicius, and companions (African, martyred c. 255)
Sts. Rufus and Zosimus of Antioch (Syrian? martyred [thrown to wild beasts] in Rome c. 107)
St. Samthann of Clonbroney (Irish, nun, d. 739)
Sts. Theotimus and Basilian of Laodicea (Syrian, early martyrs)
St. Winebald of Wessex (British, son of King St. Richard, missionary, Benedictine abbot, d. 761 in Germany)

If you have anything to share about these holy people, please reply now -- biographical episodes, prayers through their intercession, the fact that one is your patron -- whatever moves you. If you are interested in one of these saints or blesseds and want to find out more about him/her, please ask. Additional information is sometimes available on the Internet.

All you holy men and women, saints of God, pray for us.
God bless you.
John

-- J. F. Gecik ("jfgecik@hotmail.com), December 18, 2004

Answers

-- ("jfgecik@hotmail.com), December 18, 2004.